Thursday, October 29, 2009

possibly disturbing thoughts ahead

You know what absolutely breaks my heart?

That we're living in a patriarchal hegemony, one that fetishizes sleazy sex and rape.

I browse this particular site for movie recommendations of the cheesy, horrific wtf? variety, and usually I'm scanning over lots of Eurosleaze/pornsploitation crap, but this time I happened to catch a glimpse of a Japanese series of movies about -- yeah, you got it, rape. Pure and simple. I've known this stuff existed. And look at today's headlines, it's hard to ignore that it's been a common element of human civilization since genitals were invented. But, um. I almost threw-up. There are positive comments about this film series (from men, I'm totally comfortable assuming) and it's disgusting and it just overwhelmed me that THIS is what pleases many people.

And we're in a patriarchal system. Have been for... well, let's just say it almost doesn't even matter. Pinpointing the switchover would involve discussions of religion and I shouldn't go out of my way to offend the theoretical handful of people who may actually read this. Nevertheless, we are living in a patriarchy that's rewarded the achievements of men for millenia.

And why are so many of these achievements so violent and disturbing in nature? Honestly? Rape-based PORN (fer chrissakes, isn't most porn exploitational enough?) and videogames (yeah, Google it). Rape as exultation in competitions ("I'm gonna rape you, faggot/you got raped!"). Rape as accepted sex act for many misogynistic cultures 'round the world. Rape as daily occurrence for victims of war-torn countries.

Whatever progress is made is continually retracted by the slightest things, such as your son telling his gaming partner that he got raped. By their dueling digital avatars. How does that even make sense?

What could possibly save us from ourselves? Education? Since when has educating the public affected visceral change in individual hearts?

I have no solutions, only a heart-sickness that will follow me to my grave, I'm sure.

Thanks for reading this. Sorry if it hurt you as well.

Oh, and here's a brilliant article from Naomi Wolf about the sad, pervasive effects of porn culture and a transcription of a powerful speech from Rebecca Whisnant. I believe as sex has become less potent and more exploitative, that invoking rape has become less troublesome.
'As Robin Morgan famously put it in 1974, “Pornography is the theory, and rape is the practice.”' Again, I'm gonna blame supporters and blind participants of our patriarchy (particularly men) for this awful, insane mess.

1 comment:

The Fuller Family said...

Christina,
I'm a former etsy customer of yours (that little pin of the knight on horseback), and I found your wonderful card in a desk drawer, visited your shop, then visited your blog. Whew. Anyway, I like how you think, and agree so much with a lot of what you've written. Just wanted to tell you what you're doing is important, and I appreciate that you share it.
Carolyn